Welcome to the fun house: inside Google's Midtown office
Everyone wants to work at Google. There must be something in the water there.
And there is. It's lemon and mint.
There is also pears and spices, if you prefer that from a water dispenser; it's more seasonal this time of year.
Whatever you want, you'll find it. Normal bottled water? Yes, that too. Row upon row of the stuff, all stacked precisely with labels facing militantly forwards, and cooling in free-for-all fridges. All of Google's food and drink is free-for-all. And by 'all', read 'everyone'. Workers and visitors alike.
This is Google, St. Giles - the global tech company's Midtown office and third work space in London (numbers one and two are in Victoria, and number four is being built in King's Cross).
Google has called the Central St Giles structure - built by Ranzo Piano, architect for The Shard - home since 2012. A legendary hub of the avant-garde, it was actually the design vision of interiors firm PENSON, which morphed the empty office space into a veritable fun house for work.
And it is fun...
Spread out over four and a half floors, Google, Central St. Giles has all the buzz of a university campus, all the comfort of a hotel, and all the mod cons of an office from circa the future. Think: long wooden tables that can be dragged together for impromptu, informal meetings; deep, embroidered armchairs in a snug 'Granny's Flat' setting that offer your posterior a welcomed hug at a moment's notice; hangout 'pods' with wide TV screens for video conferencing, banishing that dial-in conference call to the archaic realms of the telegram.
Each corridor is linked via nautical, heavyweight doors which gives the space a submarine-like feel, though the entire building is flooded with natural light. There are terraces with jaw-dropping views of the city's skyline (lest you forget there is an actual world outside), and even a mini allotment scheme; lines of wooden boxes are positioned outside where employees (or 'Googlers') group together to grow things, like tomatoes. Or anything, for that matter. In December, it appears to be weeds.
For the health conscious, there are a number of exercise spaces to use; gyms offering classes such as spinning, around the clock. A Dog Wall Of Fame apparently exists (because dogs are allowed obviously), and workers can join Googlers groups which unite people with similar interests - the Gay Googlers Group is one, the Parents Group, another. The appeal for the employee is evident, but what's in it for the employer?
Google aims to "foster connections between people", explains Google's Communications Manager Emily Clarke. Its aim is to encourage inclusivity and to "make people feel comfortable and happy".
It's a great concept in theory, but it's surely idealistic. Google, Inc is listed by Forbes as the world's third most valuable brand. It's worth approximately £44billion and employs roughly 53,600 people worldwide. Hard, serious graft must get done somewhere. The question though, is where?
"[Google's offices] are fun, and all those things, but the way there are designed is around very open collaborative spaces, so you can come and work in different ways," says Emily. "We do have desks but we also have lots of open spaces.. [and] other loungey-type spaces so you can feel comfortable meeting with people."
Sure enough, as colourful and as comfortable as everywhere looks, it is very much conducive to work. A meeting room might be called 'Daisy', but it's a meeting room nonetheless.
There is a strict 'no talking' policy in the Lala Library - peopled at 9am but silent. A 'normal' office space (actual desks with computers) is disconcertingly quiet, standing in bazaar contrast to its surroundings, which include a multi-coloured ball pit for... who knows what (games?!).
Speaking of which, Google boasts those too; ping-pong and fuse ball tables can be found in the micro kitchens - another term for 'mini food stations', dotted around each floor.
But it's the main canteen, appropriately called 'Market Square', where the hub of the office can be found. At least, at meal times anyway. With full-on breakfasts flying out the kitchen, made-up of locally sourced, organic ingredients - and all, again, free - it's little wonder it has a such a convivial atmosphere. Frankly, who could fail to be happy there?
"I really like it," Emily says of Google. "There are many amazing people, very smart people, very passionate people... it's obviously a very interesting company to work for... [and] it's definitely a good place to work."
To inspire such enthusiasm so early on a Thursday morning suggests there's quite possibly something in the water here.
To find out what it is though, you must Google it.
Follow Edwina on Twitter @EdwinaLangley
Welcome to the fun house: inside Google's Midtown officeMidtownGoogleFree food, round the clock gyms and even a communal allotment, Google's office is a Midtown microcosm
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